Adela
by 42angel
Summary: Whilst travelling Will encounters a woman who is not quite what she seems...
1. Chapter 1

**The usual – I don't own any of the characters, except the ones I create.**

**WARNING – characters die in this story. If you don't like that, don't read on. But don't complain that you hadn't been warned!**

1.

She had been sat in the tavern all day watching the customers come and go, there had been a couple that had seemed likely and she had almost decided on one of them when he arrived. She had watched him as he entered and ordered a drink from the girl behind the bar and then started to flirt with her. In fact, he had been flirting with the women in the bar for several hours now, although it seemed good-natured and in the end he always returned to his drink. She had to admit that he was pleasing to the eye, tall with an open handsome face with a shock of slightly unruly blond hair that only increased his good looks and, if the flirting were anything to go by, he would be charming as well.

Yes, she had decided that he was the one for her. So she had risen from her table and approached the bar.

"If it isn't too forward, sir. Would you buy me a drink?" The question got her a glare from the barmaid. But the man, although he seemed a little shocked at first, wasn't put out by the question. By the look in his eyes he actually found it amusing to be to have a woman flirt with him!

"Why certainly. A beautiful woman such as you should never be with refreshment," he replied. Oh yes, this one had charm. "What would you like to drink?"

"Wine would delightful, preferably red."

As he ordered her drink from the barmaid she had studied him. He was well dressed, but not quite of the fashion that she had seen recently in the larger cities and the language he used indicated that he was educated as well, so she had decided to be more subtle with him than she was with local men she encountered. She accepted the drink he gave her and took a sip.

"What brings you to our fair town?"

"Oh, I'm just passing though." The vagueness of the answer pleased her.

"You have been here for a while, when will your companions being joining you?"

"Oh, no one will be joining me. I can devote all my time to you." He replied with a smile.

She smiled back. He was perfect!

"I have been so rude! You have bought me a drink and I haven't introduced myself. My name is Adela."

"Mine's Will and I am at your service!" With that he reached down, took her hand and kissed it. Adela smiled and blushed slightly.

"Why don't we sit down?" she indicated a table in a dark area of the tavern, "I'm sure we have a lot in common." She led him to the table, his fate sealed.

They had talked for a while, she attentive to every word that he had said. It was when they were on their third drink that she had reached across the table and kissed him, again he seem a little shocked at her openness but he didn't complain.

"No-one can see us." She reassured him.

"You're not like any other woman I've ever met before."

She smiled, gave a quiet laugh and handed him his drink, to which she had added a few grains of the drug while she kissed him. She had, over the years, come to find the drug useful. It didn't dampen their senses, but it made them a little more open to suggestion when the time came. She sat back and watched him drink. Half an hour later she reached across the table and kissed him again, this time he was far more reluctant to let her go and she knew he was ready. She got up, thanked him for such an enjoyable evening and left the tavern.

---

She found herself a comfortable and dry place to watch the tavern and waited for the last customers to leave. She approached just the barmaid was locking up.

"Can you help me? That man I was drinking with earlier, he's stolen all my money. He must have picked my pocket when I wasn't looking."

"That filthy swine! I knew he was up to no good when he first arrived. I'll just go and get a couple of friends I know and we'll get your money back."

" I don't want to make a scene. If you would just let me in I could go and search his room, he was rather drunk when I left him so he must be asleep by now. If I can't find my money then I'll think about using your friends."

The girl let her in and directed her to his room. She would deal with her later. When she entered his room she could see him he was lying full clothed on the bed. He was sleeping and she watched his chest rise and fall. She quietly closed the door and went over to him.

She kissed him gently and his eyes flickered open, full of sleep and the drug. She smiled at him as she sat down on the bed beside him. She kissed him again and as she pulled away she felt his hands on her shoulders as he pulled her back towards him. Then she started to feed. His muscles stiffen with shock as his body realised what she was doing to it and tried to fight back, but eventually she felt him go limp as he was overwhelmed by forces he could never have beaten.

There was the initially elation that each new feed brought her and after her hunger had been sated she looked down at him. He lay there beside her, his muscles limp, his mouth slightly open and eyes half closed. They were blue she noted, she had always liked blue eyes. Now she had to decide what to do with him. She could either use him up quickly or if she stayed with him on his travels and made sure that he ate well and took care of himself he might be able to keep her fed for months!

She usually kept to men to feed her, for it was easy to find men travelling alone who were interested in company. Many were just lonely, but with the help of the drug and well-chosen words they soon saw things her way and for those that wanted more from her, they usually found that they got more than they bargained for! She would feed on them and then slip away before dawn (relieving them of most of their money before she left) and they either remembered nothing or thought they had had a rather erotic dream! If she decided that she wanted to keep one for a while she would simply wait for them to leave in the morning, follow them and return to them each night (she had ways of making her visits go unnoticed). If she kept feeding on them she did eventually drain them completely, but then it just a matter of staging a little accident to cover their deaths, it was amazing how many lone travellers could fall pray to brigands!

She had nothing against women as food; it was just that she had to be more careful. She had to match her mood to the woman's, but with the help of the drug they could be made more pliable. It could be quite entertaining to see the things that she could get them to do when their inhibitions were removed. She also had to be careful not to do permanent harm to the women, when a woman got hurt people were more likely to take action. She had once accidentally killed a woman whilst feeding on her and she had barely escaped from the uproar that had been caused by the search for her killer. But she did have a number of women that she had returned to more than once on her travels. Children were again something she fed on very infrequently for, even more than women, harm against a child could cause a commotion that was almost beyond the reward, but they tasted so sweet, so full of life and potential that she occasionally took the risk.

She decided that another quick mouth full was in order to help with the decision and put her lips to his again and soon felt his taste fill her mouth. It was then that she noticed he was different, in her initial feed she had been too hungry and had guzzled her food, now she had time to savour it. He had been touched by magic, she could taste it and what an amazing taste it was! He had been touched by both evil and good magic and they combined in her mouth to produce a sensation she had never felt before! She stared down at him with a smile on her face. She had to keep him.

She left the bed and started to go through his things; if he was going to become a long-term food source then she had to find out who he was. It was always so complicated if they ran into people that the food knew or places they had been before and it usually ended up with her having to find another food source. She checked his bag, it contained very little, just a change of clothes, washing and grooming things, and what appeared to be a hand written book. He certainly travelled light! Next she returned to him and went through his pockets. This proved more interesting; his handkerchief had the initials W and G embroidered in the corner, it looked like a child had done it, and there was a pocket watch and a letter. The letter was a few weeks old and looked to be well read, it was signed by someone called Jake.

Will and Jake G why did that somehow sound familiar to her? Where had she heard it before? Suddenly she went and fetched the book and brought it over to the light to look at it again. It had a stylised G on the front and on the first page were two words that sent a shiver down her spine – Jacob Grimm.

She stared at the man on the bed. That was Wilhelm Grimm? Her food was someone famous, or rather infamous. The two them were famous not just in the normal world. In her world they were famous as frauds, but if those that hired them were stupid enough to believe that magic and other such forces could be stopped so easily then they deserved all they got! But there had been a rumour that the two of them had run into real magic for a change and the taste that still lingered in her mouth was proof that that was true.

She had find out more. She returned to bed and Will's still form and put her lips to his again but this time she did not take anything from him, instead she blew her breath into his mouth. After a minute or so she saw glazed look go from his eyes and she knew that although he still could not move he could now understand and respond to her.

"Will, where did it come from, the power inside you?"

"Jake."

"Where is Jake?"

"Marb…," suddenly his eyes closed and feel into sleep. She reached out and took him by the chin.

"No! No sleep!" his eyes came open again. "Where is Jake?"

"Marbarden." His eyes closed again and this time she let him sleep.

---

She went down stairs, sat down and put her head in her hands and cried. She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder and looked up the see the barmaid looking at her.

"I can't find the money! It's not even mine! What am I going to do?" She wept again.

"There, there," responded the girl, "It's all right. I'll speak to the tavern keeper and we'll get your money back I promise." She took Adela in her arms to comfort the obviously distraught woman.

"Thank you," she sniffed and, with a tear stained face, looked at the girl.

With a violent jolt she pulled them together so that their lips touched. The girl fought back, but Adela had more than enough strength to hold her and their lips pressed together stifled her cries. She quickly went limp and her taste was in Adela's mouth. After Will the taste of the girl was very bland indeed, but she was not one to pass up an opportunity when it came her way so easily. When she was finished she looked at the girl, with her half closed eyes and vacant expression, then she blew her breath into her mouth.

"You will not remember my visit here tonight," the girl gave a vague nod and closed her eyes and Adela let her fall to the floor, her head hitting with a crack.

She then went behind the bar and got herself a bottle wine, making sure that it was good one this time not like the dish water she had drunk earlier, and made her way back to Will's room where she went again through his things to make sure she hadn't missed anything. It was nearly dawn when she left, taking the book with her. She poured the last of wine onto the clothes and into the mouth of the still sleeping girl and placed the now empty bottle in her hand and left the tavern.

She had waited for Will to appear the next day, followed him and here she was a few months later with his form slumbering on the bed next to her. Will seemed to enjoying his new existence as her food supply and it now only took the merest touch of their lips to get him the fall obligingly limp and allow her to feed. Deciding to keep him had been the best decision of her life. Having a companion had opened up so many new feeding possibilities that she wondered why she had never done it before. Going places as a couple allowed her to move with much more freedom and Will never objected if she brought other men back to the room!

They would enter a town and pick a tavern to stay in. There they would behave as a respectable couple arrived in the town on a few days business. She would go to another tavern and choose her next "friend" and when they were ready she would return with them (a little of the drug in tavern's food and drinking water made sure her late night visitors were ignored) and she found that their shock and indignation at finding Will waiting in the room for them made her overpowering of them and subsequent feeding much more rewarding. They would stay a few days and then move on. If there activities did begin the cause a stir no one would suspect such a respectable and loving couple that, after they had left, quickly faded from their memories.

Also having Will there had opened up another option for her, she could send him out and his natural charm made flirting with women so easy and she had her pick of them to feed on. So now she had a much more varied diet!

She had been reading the book that his brother had written. This had proved to be very valuable regarding information on where the brothers had done their "exorcisms" and therefore where to avoid any complications to their relationship. Also, if what she read in the book was correct, his brother seemed to have good understanding of magic and she had decided that she would like to meet Jake and get to know him at little better.


	2. Chapter 2

2

She closed the book, got up from the table and walked towards the stairs that would take her back to the room. The Landlord saw her and made his way over.

"How is your husband today?" he enquired. They were under the impression that Will had suffered an attack of a reoccurring illness, when really she was just being lazy and couldn't be bother to bring him out of his feeding state and allow him to wake up. "If there is anything that we can do, you only have to ask."

She smiled at him, "Will is much better today. The medicine is working and he will sleep for rest of the day, so I took the opportunity took get a change of air and read a little,"

"So wise," replied the Landlord, "it would not do for you to get sick yourself."

"I hope that he will be well enough to get up tomorrow. Please thank everyone for their concern." She climbed the stairs and stood in the shadows watching him for a few minutes. After such a prolonged period of time in the feeding state Will would be physically drained when he awoke and she would need someone new for her next feed. Then she turned and entered the room. Will lay perfectly motionless on the bed, as he had done for the last three days, and she went to him. She took a quick feed from him and felt that exotic and exhilarating taste of the blend of magic in her mouth again and then she gently blew her breath into his mouth.

"Will, when you awake you will remember that you love me and we are to be married and you will suggest that I should meet your brother." Will gave a barely perceptible nod and sank into a deep sleep. Adela then set about making preparations to seek a new source of food for that night and for their journey to Marbarden.

---

The groan from the bed was the first indication that Will had woken up. Adela went to him, removed the damp cloth that was resting on his forehead and gently wiped his face.

"Will, take it easy. Don't try to move. You've been sick and need to give yourself time to recover."

Will felt terrible, his head was pounding and his body felt leaden. He was aware that someone was in the room with him, but he had no idea who it was.

"Jake?" If the voice was right, and he had been ill, then Jake would be worried and he knew that hearing his voice, however bad it sounded, would reassure his brother.

"Jake's not here Will, it's me."

"Angelika?" Now that was a new name. She would have to find out about her, if there were a woman in his life she would have to be removed.

"No, its me, Adela." At the mention of her name he remembered. He had met her a few weeks ago and it had been love at first sight. I mean, how could he not fall for a girl who brazen enough to ask him to buy her a drink and started flirting with him! He forced his eyes to open and looked up at her beautiful face, with it's flaming red hair and green eyes, and gave her a weak smile. "I'm glad your finally awake, you gave me a few anxious moments for a while."

"Wha…what happened?" his voice was a mere whisper and he was finding it hard to talk.

She didn't respond, but he felt hand gently raising his head, a cup was put to his lips and he tasted cool water. He drank a few sips and then fell asleep. Adela put the cup back on the bedside table and let Will's head fall back to the pillow. She knew that the drug in the water she had just given him would enable him to regain his strength quickly.

---

Will woke again a few hours later feeling much better, although he didn't seem to have much strength. A sound at the door made him turn his head and he say Adela enter carrying a tray followed by a young girl, who carried another one.

"Oh good, you're awake! I was hoping you would be. Lucy could you place the other tray on the table for me," the girl did as she was told and then left after smiling at Will, who returned the smile. Adela put her tray on the bed beside Will; a delicious smell rose from the bowl and reminded Will that he was hungry. She helped Will to sit up and then spent the next half hour feeding him the stew and bread, eating her own and telling him all that had happened until he fell asleep again.

The next time he woke he felt much stronger, the food seemed to have done the trick. Adela was sat in chair by the window reading Jake's book.

"I love you," he said.

"Now that is what every women wants to hear from her man when he wakes up!" she joked and put down the book and came a sat by him on the bed. "You are looking a lot better, you have some colour back in your cheeks. How are you feeling?"

"Much better. In fact I think I might try getting up," he tried to remove the covers and leave the bed, but Adela stopped him.

"Will. Take it easy. You've been ill and have slept for most of today. You shouldn't rush things." Will gave in and let her place the covers over him again. He suddenly reached up and kissed her on the mouth. Everything went a little strange and the next thing he knew Adela was laying his head back on the pillow.

"I guess you are right," he said quietly, "With you around Jake has nothing to worry about!" he added with a smile.

"Does Jake worry about you?"

"Jake worries about everything and everyone. I'm sure that as some point he has worried about whether the sun will rise in the morning!"

"He can't be that bad!" she laughed.

"No, I suppose it's just his way of showing that he cares."

"Did he write the stories in the book? They're very good, he has a real talent for story telling."

"Yes, he gave it me to take with me when I left so that I would have something to read. But to be perfectly honest he is rather superstitious and I think he wanted me to take something of his with me to…" Will seemed to get a bit embarrassed, … to keep me safe." He looked at Adela with a "you must think I'm mad" look on his face.

"Like a talisman, you mean?" Good instincts, just badly thought out. She really did have to meet him.

"Yes, that would be right…look he isn't as mad as this all makes him seem. He just has his little oddities and you have the humour him." Talking about Jake reminded him that he missed his younger brother; despite all the things that he did that annoyed him. "Look, maybe you should just come and meet him and you can judge for yourself. You might find that you don't want to be part of the Grimm family!" he added with a laugh.

"I don't think there is any one who could make me change my mind about you, apart from Angelika."

"Angelika?" Will looked confused.

"You mentioned her and Jake when you first woke up. Is she anything to I should worry about?"

"No! … Angelika is Jake's wife. He's in love with her nearly as much as I'm in love with you!" They both laughed and Adela reached over, kissed him and watched as he fell asleep in arms. She was actually become quite fond of him and would have to make sure that on their journey to Marbarden she found others to feed on, as she didn't want to wear him out.

---

It was the quiet time in the mid afternoon when the tavern slowed before the evening rush and it gave him time to do those odd jobs that always needed doing but he never found any other time to do them. He turned around to find her standing there. He smiled at her.

"Lucy told me that your husband is much better."

"Yes, he is and he would like thank you for all the help you have given me over the last few day. Can he buy you a drink?"

"Why thank you," the Landlord poured himself a pint of the best ale he had.

"I have also been able to contact some friends who have agreed to let us stay whilst Will convalesces, so we'll be leaving tomorrow morning. I was wondering if you would be able to sell me a bottle of something to take with us, if I arrive with that as well as a sick husband it may go a small way to paying them back for their favour."

"I have just the thing you need," and he went into the back room to get the bottle and Adela had time to add the drug to the drink he had poured for himself. When he returned she thanked him for the wine and told him to put it on their bill. As she went back to the room she watched as he downed the pint in one.

---

Will woke up again to find that it was dark outside. By the look of the room Adela had been busy, most of their things had been packed for he journey to Marbarden tomorrow. The more he thought about it, the more he realised that he was looking forward to see Jake, Angelika, her sisters, Sasha and all the other girls – he was even looking forward to see Cavaldi again. The man who had been sent by Delatombe to kill them had become a good friend and he had put his skills for making strange devices to better use making wonderful toys for the children – he had even managed to sell a few of them. There was an open bottle of wine on the table, but there was no sign of Adela. She was probably settling their bill with the landlord or something he thought, and while the cat was away… he gently removed the covers and stood up. His legs felt a little shaky, but they held him and he walked slowly around the room before putting his clothes on. He heard a noise at the door and went to open it, thinking to surprise Adela with how much his strength had returned. Instead there stood Lucy. Will looked at the girl, she couldn't much older than Lily, the older of Angelika's sisters, and he had known the poverty that had driven a family to send one so young out to work. They stared at each other for a moment.

"Come in, I won't bite you."

"But sir, I have chores I need to do!"

"I have a favour to ask you. Please, come in." The girl entered the room reluctantly and sat on one of the chairs. Will brought the other chair over and sat by her.

"You can relax, you know," he noticed that she was looking at the wine. "Have you ever tried wine?"

Lucy shook her head.

"Would you like to?" He reached over a poured a small amount into a glass and gave it to her."

"But sir, I shouldn't be doing this! What if the Landlord needs me and can't find me, he'll make me pay for it later."

"No he won't. If asks I'll say you were helping me, which you are."

Lucy took the glass from him and drank it; it spread a warm feeling through her. She put out her glass again and he poured some more, which she drank straight away. He was right, she was beginning to relax and she was enjoying this feeling. She put out her glass once more.

"Steady there! I don't want to be responsible to getting you drunk!" he poured some wine into a glass and drank a mouthful. "I want to buy my wife a present, but I'm not sure what to get her. You're a woman, well nearly anyway. Can you give me any suggestions?"

Lucy could think of a thousand things that he could buy for his wife and they spent a very pleasant time discussing what women liked. He even gave her a little more wine, which she sipped like he was doing.

"What you should buy her depends on what she likes. Different women prefer different things. Although we all like nice dresses and pretty necklaces," she told him.

You're right. I think I should ask her want she wants, that way I am sure to get her something she likes. I mean, she likes spice added to her wine, whilst I am not so sure about it."

Spice in wine? Lucy had never heard of such a thing. But it must be nice if Adela liked it.

"Can I try some spice in my wine?" she asked.

"You have quite a lot already and I don't know if you should have anymore."

"Please Will, just a little. I just want to see what it tastes like."

"Oh all right then, let me see if I can find it," he hunted in Adela's bags until he found it. He poured more wine into her glass, added a little of the spice to it and passed it to her. She took a sip; decided that she liked and drank the rest. That girl is going to have a headache in the morning, thought Will has he poured the last of wine into his glass and added some spice to it. He drank it and went on to finish their packing.

When he had finished her looked for Lucy, thinking that it was late and that she really should be in her own bed by now. But Lucy was already asleep. He tried to wake her, but she didn't stir. In the end he got a spare pillow and blanket and made her as comfortable as he could in the chair. Adela would be back soon from wherever it was that she had gone and she would know what to do, she always knew how to solve problems.

---

The final customer had left and he had locked the door, all he had to do now was to find Lucy and they could clear up and get some sleep. Where was that girl, she was never around when she was needed. He turned back towards the bar and found her standing there, and with a bottle of his most expensive wine in her hand!

"Have you ever tried spice wine?" she asked, "It's definitely something I would recommend."…

---

As soon as she opened the door she realised that something was wrong. Will was laid on the bed fully clothed, that brought back some pleasant memories, but the girl, Lucy, was asleep in the chair. What had been going on here? She shook Will awake and he stared at her with a drug filled gaze.

"Adela your back!" he moved to kiss her, but she pushed him away. In the state he was in she could drain him without realising it. "We have a small problem," he said, indicating the sleeping girl, "I woke up and was feeling much better, but you weren't here. There was a sound at the door and I thought it was you so I opened it, but it was Lucy. I was thinking about getting you a present for all you have done for me and I thought that, as Lucy was a woman she might have an idea about what I could get you, so I asked her in to talk about it. But she had never tasted wine, so I gave her some; I even gave her some with your spice in it, she liked that. I had some too. Then I finished our packing and realised how late it was and that Lucy should be in her own bed, but she was already asleep and I couldn't wake her, I did try though. I need you to get her back to her bed, I wouldn't want anything to happen to her!" He finished this babble with a smile and looked at her like a puppy gazing at its master.

"So let me get this straight. You were trying to find something to give me as a present and you ended up giving Lucy wine with spice in it?"

"Yes, but now I can't wake her up and I've still no idea what to get you!" She couldn't believe what she was hearing. How could he be more perfect?

"Don't worry yourself, my dear. You couldn't have thought of a better present than the one you have here." And she sent him into a deep sleep.

She crossed over to the where Lucy lay, who woke as Adela took her into her arms. She stared up at Adela with drug filled, trusting eyes and gave a small sigh as their lips touched. She gave no resistance as Adela began to feed, it was almost as if she wanted this to happen. She tasted so good, so pure and so sweet. Adela stopped feeding and looked at the girl in her arms, her face relaxed, mouth slightly open and eyes half closed. She saw a girl who had never been touched by man, whose dreams and hopes could never be fulfilled, only crushed by this world around her. She was too good for this world. Adela returned to her feeding, she fed deep and long and then she felt a fluttering within the girl, like a bird fighting to get out of a cage. It lasted a moment and it was gone, the bird having found a way to escape. Adela finished feeding and looked again at the girl, her face now bore a look of peace that had not been there before. Her eyes were now fully closed and there seemed to be a smile to her lips, as if she was happy to be wherever it was she found herself. She was now in place that even Adela couldn't bring her back from, a place where she would never grow old and where her dreams and hopes could never be dashed. Adela gently laid her on the floor. She crossed back to the bed where the sleeping Will lay. She stared at him and ran a finger down his cheek, but let him sleep on.

---

They left before dawn the next day and, while Will took their bags out to the horses, Adela laid the "sleeping" Lucy at the bottom of the stairs. She then went to where she had left the Landlord sprawled on the floor last night. She lifted him into a chair and blew her breath into his mouth and waited for him to respond.

"You came back!" he tried to kiss her again and she had to fight him off. Sometimes the food just wasn't worth the effort.

"Yes, I told you I would be back, and here I am. I just wanted to remind you that you saw us leave just after dawn, we had a long ride and I wanted to take it slowly because of my husband. We paid our bill in full. You sent Lucy up to start cleaning our room and it we as she was coming down to start the breakfasts that you saw her slip and fall down the stairs. She broke her neck and was already dead when you reached her. It was just an accident."

"Poor Lucy, what a terrible thing to have happened to one so young!" he murmured and fell asleep again. As he went to rejoin Will she heard a crash as he toppled from the chair she had put him in. She wondered, with a smile, whether there were now two broken necks in the tavern.

"Did you find Lucy's room all right?" asked Will as he handed her the reins of her horse.

"Yes, she's quite peaceful now," replied Adela,

"She's such a sweet thing and I don't like the idea of her working there, anything could happen to her."

"I couldn't agree more."

They rode out of the town and took the road that would lead them to Marbarden.


	3. Chapter 3

3.

The journey to Marbarden took nearly a week and Adela, in order to have Will in good health when they arrived, decided not to feed on him. Finding alternative sources of food did not prove to be too much of a problem, there had been other travellers on the road and one night they discovered a remote house. Arriving with Will in a feeding state meant assistance was readily given and she could eat in peace whilst he slept. She had drugged the family's food and they spent a couple days there whilst Adela gorged herself. She made a mental note of where the house was in case she passed that way in the future.

She also used the time to get more information from Will and by the time they reached Marbarden she knew all there was to know about him. About his brother, their sister, the cons they had pulled and the events that had taken place in Marbarden, it had been more luck than judgement that had enabled them to defeat the Thiringian Queen! She had also implanted in Will the story that she wanted him to know. Her father had been a bookkeeper and her mother a teacher, both had died when she was a child. She had been lucky enough to be taken in by a family friend and had been able to continue her education and become a teacher. She had been on her way to an interview for a new position when she had stopped at the tavern for food and, against her better judgement, had asked a very handsome man to buy her a drink!

This was reasonably close to her real story. She had lived quite peacefully with her mother and father in a cottage on the outskirts of the village. One day a lady had called at the cottage, saying that she had travelled far and could her mother spare her a drink of water. Her mother, of course, had agreed and the lady followed her into the house. Adela had heard her mother cry out and when she had reached the kitchen she saw her mother in the lady's arms, as if she had fainted. As she watched the lady had leant forward and kissed her mother, the kiss had lasted a very long time and when she had finished her mother had remained limp in her arms.

The lady had looked up at her, winked and said, "This is are little secret. Tell no one." Adela had also smiled; she had liked the idea of having a secret.

The lady had then carried her mother to her bed and she had kissed her again, briefly, and then they had waited for her father to return. Her father had fought back, but not for long, and the lady had laid him alongside her mother. Adela had watched all this, fascinated, and she had still been fascinated as the lady came towards her. Their lips had touched, she had felt the lady's breath enter her, and then she had awoken in her bed. She had gone to her mother and father to find them also waking, as if from a long, deep sleep with no concern over what had happened. The lady had returned every day that week and by the end her parents had simply stood and allowed the lady to kiss them. Adela had anticipated each visit and her kiss more and more eagerly. Then the lady was gone. She had returned infrequently and each time she had let Adela watch as she fed on her mother and father and then they had shared their kiss.

It had been as she was returning home that something had caught her eye as she passed the cottage of their nearest neighbour. Further inspection had revealed it to be the hand of a small boy, the family's youngest child, hidden in the bushes by the gate. The child had been sleeping, his face a familiar blank mask. Adela had picked the boy up and carried him to the cottage. She had entered using the back door to find the boy's older sister there, her eyes half closed and her mouth slightly open. Adela had smiled and then went slowly from room to room until she found them. The boy's parents were laid in their bed, still in their nightclothes. His mother had the same blank look of sleep on her face, but his father lay in the arms of the lady, receiving her kiss. She had looked up at Adela as she stood in the door.

"I've been waiting for you. I see that you got my message." She had said, indicating the boy in Adela's arms. She had risen, given the man another quick kiss and then let him fall back against pillow, joining his wife and son.

"Have you kept our secret?" Adela had nodded.

Then they had kissed. Adela had felt the lady's breath entered her, fill her and then strengthen her. When she had felt the lady's lips leave hers and she had opened her eyes and find the lady smiling at her.

"You are ready, my dear."

They had returned to the kitchen, where the lady had taken a final feed from the girl, and then they had returned each child in its bed. The lady had picked up a bundle that she had left in the corridor and they left the house to quietly sleep through the rest of the day that had, for it occupants, become night. They had returned to the Adela's home, where her mother had greeted the lady with a smile and she had fed. But the feed had lasted longer than before and when she was finished she had let her mother fall to the floor. Adela had never seen her mother look as beautiful and as peaceful before and when her father had returned and seen his wife, and then the lady, he had seemed almost grateful when she kissed him and then let him fall beside her mother.

"They are happy now," the lady had said, "and are free from the troubles of the world."

Adela had looked at her parents and knew what the lady had said was right.

"And now for you…" Adela had turned to find the lady standing behind her, with the bundle in her arms. She held it upright, it was as tall as Adela, and then carefully unwrapped it. Adela had found herself face to face with a girl about her own age, the eldest child of her neighbours. The lady had kissed her and the girl had woken up. She had looked from Adela to the lady and then began to struggle, but the lady held her firm in her arms.

"Kiss her," the lady had said.

Adela had placed her lips against the girls in a kiss. Suddenly she had felt something pass from her and into the girl and she had gone limp. Adela had looked at the girl, with her slightly open mouth and half closed eyes – she looked just like her parent had done when the lady had fed on them! Adela had laughed; she was just like the lady!

"Continue."

Adela had returned her lips to the girls and this time she had felt a very different sensation. Something was passing from the girl into her, and it was amazing. It had slowly filled her whole being and she had never wanted it to end, but there had been a strange fluttering sensation and then the girl had been still. Adela had pulled away and looked at the girl.

"There will be others, each with a taste of their own!" The lady had let the girl fall to the floor. "She will never have to watch her beauty and youth fade."

Then they had burned the house and she had left the village. There had, indeed, been many others whilst the lady had taught her to survive in her new world and there had been even more after they had gone their separate ways.

Adela had been alone since then, travelling from town to town and tavern to tavern, until she had met a handsome, blond man and he was about to change her world forever.

---

She actually felt quite nervous when they eventually arrived in Marbarden and gave Will a small smile. "Don't worry," he had told her as they entered the village, "you are beautiful, wonderful and they will love you as much as I do."

Will made his way to the centre of the village, greeting people as he went, and as soon as he had dismounted people quickly surrounded him. Suddenly something arrived and threw itself into his arms.

"Hello, Elsie," he laughed and put the young girl down. "You don't know where Jake is do you, there is someone I want him to meet." He put the little girl down and she ran off, presumably to find his brother.

The introductions continued until Adela couldn't remember half the names. It seemed that everyone in the village wanted to greet Will personally. Adela was totally astonished at the potential for food in this village!

"Well, well, well. The traveller has finally decided to return." Everyone turned to view the speaker. The voice turned out to belong to a tall, brown-eyed brunette. Will smiled and went to her and they kissed and embraced. "How is my wonderful sister-in-law then?" Angelika smiled at Will. "I'm very well, but you are in a bit of trouble."

"Me? Why?"

"Because you are being your usually cocky self and think that a promise made to me doesn't have to be kept."

Adela looked at the speaker. It had to be Jacob. He was as handsome as his brother, but in a more intense way. His hair was shorter and dark, with matching dark eyes that were hidden behind eyeglasses and a beard covered his face. He was clearly mad at Will.

"Hello Jake, it's good to see you again."

Jake did not reply.

"Jake, I'm sorry I didn't write! Something came up."

"I know. I can see her from here!"

"Jacob! Don't be rude! She is Will's guest and you can at least be civil."

"Oh," Jake looked at his wife; "You're siding with Will, are you! You know how worried I've been!"

Will had promised to write when he had left Marbarden and for the first few weeks he had sent letters, then they had stopped and there had been nothing more until Will had ridden into the village. Jake had come up with thousands of reasons, each one causing him more worry than the last.

"It's not Will's fault," Jake turned to look at Adela, "just after I met him, he fell ill." It was close to the truth.

A look of pure dismay crossed Jake's face and he took a few steps towards Will and Adela.

"I'm sorry. Why didn't you get a message to me? I would have come."

"Because when he fell ill I didn't know who he was. It was only later that I found out he was one of the famous Brothers Grimm!"

"How did you find out? I don't remember telling you?"

"Well…I knew that your name was Will and you had a book in your bag that had the name Jacob Grimm on the first page…I sort of put two and two together."

Jake groaned at his own stupidity. "If the French had found it on you…"

"Jake, I wouldn't have told the French my real name! But it is nice to know that my oh so much smarter little brother can be just as dumb as the rest of us, occasionally!" Will needed to change the subject; he didn't want Jake to start brooding on what might have been.

"Anyway, I'm healthy, happy and in love, thanks to the beautiful woman over there," he smiled at Adela, "and I have brought her to meet my little brother! Adela, meet my little brother, Jacob. Jake, meet the woman I'm going to marry, Adela." He took her by the hand and they walked over to Jake.

It couldn't have gone better. Will had made the introductions, then they had taken their horses to the stable and their things to the house that Will had shared with Jake before he had married. Jake had apologised profusely for his rudeness and had invited them to dinner, where she was introduced to Angelika's younger sisters; she planned to get to know those two sweet girls very well. They had spent the night swapping stories of the brother's adventures and Will had remembered perfectly the account she had given him of how they met. She was also careful to weave her "family history" into the conversation and, even though she already knew them from Will, she expressed just the right degree of amusement, shock and sympathy as parts of the brother's and Angelika's past were revealed. And now, to mark the perfect end to a perfect day Will lay limp in her arms. After nearly seven days of abstinence, she was indulging herself in his taste, with a leisurely and totally satisfying feeding. She had eaten the meal the Angelika had cooked, but it was other source of food that sustained her.

---

Adela quickly established herself in Marbarden. She had started her "school" within days of arriving; after all she was a teacher! It gave her an opportunity to see all the children together and she noticed that the twelve girls who had been taken had formed a close-knit group that was slightly apart from the others. This would help as any changes there might be when she started to feed on them would be put down to them already being slightly different, not that she intended to neglect the other children of course, she would get to all of them in time. It sent a shiver of pleasure down her spine just to look at them all as they worked away in front of her and she imagined them one by one falling limp in her arms as the others looked on with a rather appealing look of panic in their eyes after she had told them they weren't allowed to leave until the "special lesson" was finished. She would have to control herself or the schoolroom could end up full of sleeping children and one pleasantly over full teacher!

The children also told her all the gossip of the village, who was arguing with whom, which families were going to visit relatives (and would need a friendly drug filled visit when they returned) and she had learnt that Sasha had a crush on Will (that would come in useful when it came to her turn). She had also learnt what the villages thought of her, she was the beautiful, charming woman who had "charmed the charmer" and would be the making of Will.

---

Soon after arriving she a put the drug into the well and now she could see it in the eyes of everyone she met, the only problem was that she was now running out of it. She had first heard of the drug when she had encountered a medical student returning home from university, his parents had received a letter saying that he had met up with friends and would spend the summer with them, and she got a summer of regular feeding and a supply of the drug. Now the problem was how to get the doctor to Marbarden? The answer was obvious, there needed to be someone here who was sick enough to need his assistance, but who? Who would the village go to any lengths to help? She had some thinking to do. A stirring in her arms made her look down at the young girl who lay there, her parents had nearly lost her to the Queen and now they would loose her to Adela's kiss. There was only the briefest resistance before the feeding began and that familiar taste of the blending of magic was in her mouth, accented by the bright, sweet taste of youth. And there were eleven others just like her in this village. Her brother, who lay in a feeding state at her feet, had mere the tasted of youth, but when they were tasted together they produced a remarkable combination. After feeding she had returned the children to their beds, tucking them in and giving each one a good night kiss on the forehead. As she had left the house she had glanced in on their parents, who had slept through the theft of their children, and without any help from her! They deserved all that they got, and she would pay them a visit soon. Then she walked back through the village, passing each of the houses where the children were, to a sleeping Will and back to her "normal" life.

The children still weren't out of bed yet, if they didn't get up soon they would be late for school. "Greta…Hans…It's time you were up!" their mother called. The children had appeared, both yawning and seemed barely awake. What a pair of sleepyheads her children were today.

The answer to Adela's problem had come rather unexpectedly.


	4. Chapter 4

4.

Jake had been tossing and turning for over an hour. The moonlight coming through the window gave enough light for him to see Angelika, sleeping peacefully at his side. It had been over a year and he still couldn't believe that she had agreed to marry him. He learnt over and kissed her, then got out of bed. If he wasn't going to sleep he might as well do something constructive so he headed for his study, first putting on his trousers and a shirt to keep out the chill. He lit the lamp on his desk and closed the door so that his work wouldn't disturb anyone, then he took down his books and began to read his notes on the folk tales that he still collected from the villages and towns round about.

Adela had just fed on Will and was talking a walk to enjoy the moonlight and the cool air on her skin, when she noticed that there was a lamp lit at Jake and Angelika's house. She quietly approached and saw Jake sat at his desk, writing. She smiled.

Something hitting the window startled Jake causing his pen to run across the page. "Damn," he said softly as he reached for the blotting paper and then surveyed the damage. A couple of paragraphs now looked like a drunken spider had taken a walk across them, but they were still readable. It added interest he decided. But what could have been thrown at the window at this time of night, even the ravens should be asleep. He decided to go outside and have a look around, if there was something unusual happening again he wanted to be aware of it. So he left the study, quietly let himself out house and turned towards the centre of the village. He could just make out someone standing on the path as it curved. Concerned he walked towards the figure, as he approached he realised that it was Adela. She was standing perfectly still, staring at the moon. He walked over to her.

"Adela," he said quietly. She did not respond.

Jake's grew more concerned, could she be sick or sleepwalking? If she was sleepwalking he knew he needed to guide her back to the house before she hurt herself. He placed his hand on her arm and she turned towards him.

"Jacob," her voice was soft and breathless.

"Adela, its Jake. Come back to the house with me. You'll be safe there and I can go and get Will." He began to lead her back towards the house.

"Jacob…kiss me."

"Wha…"

He turned back to look at her, not sure that he had heard her correctly and then she had force her lips to his. He immediately tried to stop her, she obviously didn't know what she was doing and would be very embarrassed if she knew. Then, suddenly, there was something else in the kiss, something unearthly and repellent that was trying to get inside him. He fought hard, but could feel himself weakening and his last thought before everything faded was the total horror of the realisation that she must have done this to Will!

Adela had been surprised at the strength of Jake's resistance, but he had eventually gone limp in her arms and she had been able to feed. His taste was like nothing she had encounted before. He tasted of the good magic that she had tasted in Will and Greta, but here it was in its pure form. There was a power in him that she suspected not even he knew he had, but there was also a hint of the sweetness in that power and she was totally intoxicated. She pulled away and stared at the man in her arms. His face was relaxed; his mouth slightly open and his half closed eyes had rolled back into his head leaving only the whites visible. She reached out and pushed his glasses back on his nose, which had been hanging half off his face after the kiss, and carried him, like a babe in arms, back towards the house.

"I fear you are going to become an addiction, Jacob Grimm," she whispered to his limp form.

She carried him into the bedroom and laid him down on the bed.

"Jake…is that you? Are you all right" Angelika's voice was full of sleep. She was aware that someone was in the room. She felt herself being lifted and as sleep left her she stared at who was holding her. Adela lifted Angelika up slightly and rapped her head against the headboard of the bed with just enough force to render her unconscious and watched as she slid from the bed to the floor.

She then returned to Jake and fed long and deep. A slight noise made her look up and she saw Rose staring at her older sister's unconscious form, then at Jake on the bed and finally at Adela as she bent over Jake. The two of them looked at each other and Adela waited to see what Rose would, if the child ran she would have to stop her. But she just stood and stared, as if she was in shock.

"Rose, don't be afraid. They are only sleeping, no harm done. Come here and I'll show you." She held out her hand and the girl came slowly forward and took it.

Adela then placed her lips on Jakes, she blew her breath into his mouth and he fell into sleep.

"See," she said to Rose, "Jake's breathing. He may sleep a little longer in the morning, but nothing is wrong."

"But my sister…"

"Oh!" said Adela, as if noticing Angelika's form, sprawled on the floor, for the first time, "Angelika! When did that happen? Quick, we must get her back onto the bed. She can't sleep on the floor, can she?" She smiled at Rose as she lifted Angelika and placed back on the bed beside Jake, but not too close. "There, she is perfectly safe now, back where she belongs."

Rose stood and watched her sister and Jake as they slept, their chests rising and falling and then turned to Adela, reassured, a smile on her face.

"Come on, let's get you back to bed."

Adela came and placed an arm around Rose's shoulders, but instead of guiding her towards the door she turned her towards herself, leant forward and placed her lips against Rose's. The girl did not resist. She felt the force within her enter the girl, who gave a gently shudder and, as Adela watched, her eyes closed. It was time she passed on all she knew to another and she could think of no safer place to do that than Marbarden. She picked up Rose, carried her back to her room and laid her gently on the bed and smoothed her hair. They were going to have a marvellous time as she taught Rose all she needed to know to survive in her world and introduced her to the first feed. She glanced over at Lily asleep in the other bed, maybe she would be one, and it would be a very sisterly act!

She then set about setting the house in order before she left. She re-entered the bedroom and glanced down at Angelika; she would have to decide what do about her later. It was as she was carrying Jake to his study that a wonderful idea occurred to her. She laid him on the floor by the desk, then let herself out of the house and returned the Will. She sent him to sleep and then began searching through her bag until she came across a small dark bottle, which she took with her back to Jake. She lifted him into his chair, allowed two drops from the bottle to fall into his mouth and then let him slump forward onto the desk. And, after opening the window a little, she left the house.

"I think that your little brother is going to be the answer to all our problems," she said to the sleeping Will as she held him in her arms, "and then we are all going to stay here and make the perfect family, after I have solved a couple of problems, of course."

---

Angelika woke with a pounding head and a strange feeling, like something had disturbed her sleep. But she had no time to think about that with the children to wake, all three of them, and breakfast to get ready. She was busy in the kitchen when Lily and Rose entered. Rose came over hugged her sister.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

"Yes," Angelika replied, puzzled by the question.

But Rose just smiled and joined her sister at the table. There was still no sign of Jake, so she poured him a cup of tea and set off to find him. He had not been beside her when she woke, so he must be in his study. She knocked gently on the door and then opened it. Jake was asleep, slumped over his desk. The window as slightly open and the room had a distinct chill to it. She crossed to the window, closed it and, after extinguishing the still lit lamp, she gently shook her husband's shoulder. Jake came groggily awake, blinking as his vision cleared, and then he smiled, leaned forward and kissed her.

"Good morning to you too!" she replied and kissed him back, "What have a told you about sleeping with the window open. I don't want you to get sick."

"Sorry, darling," he replied sleepily.

She handed him his drink and returned to the kitchen. Jake appeared a few minutes later, but he still looked half asleep, and he jumped a little when Rose came and hugged him.

"Are you all right?" she asked him.

"Yes," her replied and took another drink from his cup.

"What do you think that was all about?" as she and Jake cleared up after breakfast.

"Probably just a child thing," he replied.

Angelika wasn't convinced. Her sisters had been the first two children taken by the

Queen, and they had been taken by their father. Angelika had noticed subtle changes in her sisters; something had been lost when they had been taken. But now that Adela had arrived and the girls were attending school, they were mixing with the other children and she could see them acting as children again.

---

The last few weeks had past in a blur for Adela, she was regularly feeding on both Will and Jake, whilst Rose watched, awaiting her kiss. A simple sleeping draft made sure that Angelika and Lily remained ignorant of what was going on, until she needed them, and she had also made the acquaintance of Elsie and Heidi recently, to add a little variety to her diet. All in all she had to admit that she had the perfect life, here in Marbarden. A knock on the door drew her out of her thoughts and she went to the door, to find Jake standing there.

"Good morning," he said, "I was wondering if I could invite you to take a walk with me?"

"I couldn't possibly, you're a married man!"

"Seeing as you will be joining the family soon I thought that you might like a little further introduction into what makes the Grimm family tick."

This intrigued Adela. "What do you mean?"

"I want to take you into the forest. You really should know what it's like in there and it's probably better if you go with me."

Adela had readily agreed and they had gone and fetched their horses. She had sent Will on an errand to Malsburg so he wouldn't be back for some time.The horses made good time and they were soon well into the forest. Jake loved it here, there was a power in forest and he could feel it. It felt like an old friend accompanied him every time he ventured in there.

"Don't listen to what Will says about the forest. It isn't evil, he just doesn't understand it."

"But didn't the trees move?"

"The Queen used her magic to make the forest do as she wanted. When that failed the forest returned to what it was before, a very ancient forest."

"Why haven't you told Angelika about our coming here?"

"What makes you think I haven't?"

"Well, have you?"

"She'd be worried. She thinks that if she isn't with me in here I'll end up so transfixed by the place that I'll turn into a tree, or something…and she might be right! I just wanted you to see the forest for what it was and not be afraid of it."

Adela stared at Jake. This was where Jake's power came from she could feel it. Almost before she knew what she was doing she had begun to feed on him. She watched him as he lay sleeping in her arms and came to a decision, there could be only one women in the Brother's lives and as that one was going to be her, Angelika would have to die.

Will had returned home to find Adela asleep on the bed and he woke her with a kiss. She had feed on him instinctively and for the first time found his taste slightly bland. But, after his brother, she thought that everyone would taste bland.

---

They had finished dinner and Angelika and the girls were clearing the table when Jake had begun to feel dizzy. He was just tired, had spent too many nights writing, he decided. He would make his excuses and go and lay down for a while. He rose unsteadily from his chair.

"Jake, are you all right?" Will had noticed his brother's unsteady stance and pale face.

Jake heard his brother, but he was starting to feel much worse. He took a step forward and the room swarm before his eyes. He put out his hand to find the chair to steady himself, but it wasn't there and suddenly the floor was rushing towards him.

"Jake!" Will's cry alerted Angelika that something was wrong and by the time she had turn round she could see Will holding his brother and gentling lowering him to the floor.

"He's breathing." The relief in Will's voice reflected Angelika's as she bent down beside him. Jake was very pale and his breaths were rapid and shallow. She reached out and touched his face and his eyes flickered open.

"You passed out," Will said in response to his brother's confused look, "why didn't you tell us you weren't feeling well?" Jake mumbled an apology and tried to stand, only to find that his legs wouldn't support him.

---

Adela fed on Lily's sweet taste of magic and youth and then sat back and let out a contented sigh. She had introduced Lily to the family secret when she had decided to kill Angelika. One death in a family was tragic, but two might be considered suspicious, even in Marbarden.

Rose came over and lifted her sister's arm and then let flop back on her chest

"You turned her into a rag doll!" there was awe in her voice, "You can do magic! Do Will and Jake know? Jake will be so excited!"

"Will already knows about my magic, but we're keeping it as a surprise for Jake. It will be our secret, just between you and me. If you promise to keep it I will teach you how it's done."

"You'll teach me magic!" Rose gave an excited little laugh.

"Come here and we can start right now!" and she opened her arms to embrace the child. Their lips met and Rose gave a gently shudder. Adela sent Lily to sleep before she took Rose in her arms, quietly telling her stories of what her new life would be like when she could do the "magic."

Will entered the room. He smiled when he saw the sleeping forms of the children. He had been concerned that they might be frightened by what had happened to Jake, but it seemed that Adela had managed to calm and comfort them. Adela laid Rose on her bed and came to join him.

"How is he?" she whispered to him.

Will sighed. "He's better, sleeping now. Angelika's with him and I'm going for a doctor at first light."

"I'll come with you."

"It suited you…"

"What?"

"Rose in your arms, it looked right. Jake would be thrilled to be an uncle…" Will left and returned to Angelika and the sleeping Jake. Adela returned to Rose, gathered her into her arms again and thought of the day when she would, indeed, be hers.

Jake took a turn for the worse during the night and by the morning he was shivering uncontrollably. At first light Will and Adela left for Marlsburg to fetch the doctor leaving Angelika to look after Jake and with promises from Lily and Rose to look after both of them.


	5. Chapter 5

5.

Dr Franz Lieberman was growing decidedly bored of Malsburg. He had come after he received a letter inviting him to attend a conference only to find out when he got here that the letter had been a fake. Now all he had to do was to get some breakfast and he could start his journey home. At least his wife and children would be pleased to have him back so soon. A commotion at the bar caused him to look up. A man and a woman were in an animated conversation with the landlord. The women looked up, saw him, and then they both came over to him.

"Excuse me," asked the man, "but are you a doctor?"

Franz stared at the doctor's bad on the table in front of him and didn't answer.

"Please, forgive us," the woman cut in, "its just that we are so desperately worried about Jake and we need your help."

Franz could tell by the looks in their eyes that they, indeed, were concerned about something. He invited them to sit down and they told him of Jake's illness. The symptoms seemed so bizarre that he readily agreed to help them. Strange and exotic diseases had been a hobby of his since his student days and this seemed an opportunity to good to miss. So when he should have been heading home he found himself on the road to a place called Marbarden.

---

"Doctor Lieberman, Angelika. Call me Franz," he said to an exhausted looking woman who sat on the edge of the bed holding the hand of the man who lay there. He was very pale and his breathing so shallow that his chest barely rose and fell. "When did the shivering stop?"

"About an hour ago…and he's been like that ever since." The woman seemed about to cry and Will came and put his arms around her. Since they had returned Will eyes had never left his brother and until that moment he had seemed lost in same deep thoughts that have overcome him on their journey from Malsburg.

Franz approached the man on the bed. "Hello, Jake. My name is Dr Franz Lieberman and I here to help you." There was no response, but Franz always introduced himself to his patients. He felt that, even if they didn't show it, they knew that someone had arrived and he wanted them to know he was here to help. He examined Jake, with the assistance of Will and Angelika, and then went to consult some of the books he had brought with him.

"Some of the symptoms you described led me to believe that your brother had a fever," he said, "But as far as I can tell there is no fever."

A look of relief crossed Will's face.

"Tell me," Franz continued, "Is he susceptible to illness? Does he easily catch cold? I mean it might be possible that he is reacting to a disease that some one else brought to the village."

"We'd know if anyone else were ill," responded Will.

"Not necessarily, people can carry an illness, but not have any symptoms and then pass it on to others. If your brother is sensitive to such things it may explain this reaction."

The fact was that in the years that they had been travelling together Jake had had several bouts of illness, but Will had always put them down to their having to sleep rough from time to time, especially when the weather was bad, but Jake had never let it effect any of their "work". Were they now paying the price for that?

"Look," Franz had turned to address Will and Angelika, "I have found over the years that at times like this it is better to be honest. I'm not sure what is wrong with Jake, but I intend to treat the symptoms that I can and, hopefully, it will allow any underlying illness to present itself and then we can cure that. Do you agree?"

"Anything that will help Jake," said Angelika wearily.

Franz treated Jake and then he approached Angelika. "How long has it been since you slept?" he asked her. She merely smiled at him. "You are exhausted and you need to sleep. I don't want to have two sick people here. I don't expect any change in Jake for several hours, so I want to give you something to help you sleep. It's only a light sleeping draught and if there is any change in Jake's condition I will wake you. I promise."

He turned to Will, "I will be coming and going until there is a change in Jake's condition and Angelika needs a quiet place to rest, can you suggest anywhere?"

"I am not leaving Jake." Will smiled at the remark, pleased to see some of Angelika's determination had returned.

"You won't have to," he replied as he started to arrange chairs, blankets and pillows to arrange a make shift bed for her. Soon Angelika had drifted into sleep.

Adela entered the room and came to stand by Will. After he gone limp in her arms she let him fall to the floor.

"Is that how you treat all of us?" asked Franz as she came towards him.

"I have to confess, I do treat some better than others."

"Do you have an antidote to whatever it is you gave him?" he indicated Jake.

"I needed a reason to bring you here. I need more of the drug you made for me and I wanted you see place I intend to call home." She handed him a bottle, "Add this to your treatments and a miraculous cure is guaranteed."

Franz added contents of the bottle to his medicine and then administered a dose to Jake. Adela went to fetch Rose and introduced her "daughter" to him.

"Are you going to save Jake?" she asked.

"Yes, with Adela's help, he'll make a complete a recovery. Only you mustn't let anyone know that Adela helped me. She's very modest and would like it kept secret."

"Yes, I like keeping secret's for Adela. She can turn people in rag dolls and she is going to teach me, only that's our secret."

"In that case, I had better not tell anyone." This girl was going to real heartbreaker when she grew up. "I have to confess that I always wonder what it was like to be a rag doll."

Adela showed him and Franz was transported back to that summer all those years ago.

---

"Angelika, wake up," Will's soft call and gentle shake brought her back to the world. She looked up at him and saw a smile on his face, "There is someone who would like to say "good morning" to you.

Jake looked pale, even paler than last night thought Angelika, but his eyes were open and her recognised her when she sat down by him.

"Angelika," his voice was nothing more than a whisper, but to Angelika it was the sweetest sound that she had ever heard.

"I love you," she whispered to him. Then Franz lifted his head and helped him drink a few sips of the medicine and she held his hand as he slipped back into sleep.

News of Jake's illness had spread through the village and Will had spent most of the day dealing with callers to the house, telling them the Jake was on the mend, thanking them for their concern and assuring them he would pass their good wishes onto Jake and Angelika. Some had even brought food for the family, which Adela quietly disposed of. The Grimm households were her family now and she didn't want them eating anything she didn't have a hand in preparing.

Lily and Rose were the centre of attention next day at school, with their tales of how they had looked after Jake and Angelika whilst a doctor was fetched. Adela smiled and looked at the children, she had introduced herself to more than half of them and the rest would follow in the not too distance future. An image of her and Rose feeding on some of the children whilst the others quietly got on with their lessons filled her head, her "special lesson" that she had imagined when she first taught the children looked like becoming a reality quite soon.

With Franz's care Jake, although he remained weak, was getting better each day. Soon he was allowed to get up for short periods of time and he started to write again which, to their great delight, he read to Lily, Rose and the other children (who were now allowed to visit him) and asking for their opinions on storyline and character. The fact that he also entertained the adults as well didn't seem to matter to him.

"Franz," asked Will as they stood getting a breath of fresh air. "I have been thinking. Jake could have died in the time it took to fetch you. Marbarden and the other villages nearby need a doctor. Would you consider it? You won't make much money but you will make a difference and a lot of friends."

"I'll think about it."

Will left him alone to think. At least he had tried.

---

"He asked me to stay on in Marbarden," said Franz, indicating Will who lay in a feeding state in Adela arms. She put her lips to his and fed.

"What did you say?" enquired Adela after she had finished.

"I told him I'd think about it."

"And…"

"I had already sent a letter to my wife. She and the children will arrive in Malsburg in a few days. I'm sure that when she meets everyone in Marbarden they'll convince her to stay."

"I can guarantee it." Franz had smile on his face as she reached for him.

Now that her supply of the drug was assured, she had only two problems to solve and her life in Marbarden would be secure and she could start planning for the future, to deal with Angelika and to introduce Rose to her first feed.

---

Angelika had just started on their evening meal when Adela entered.

"How's Jake today?"

"He's much better. He's nearly fully recovered, thanks to Franz. Did Will tell you, Franz has decided to stay. Marbarden is going to have its own doctor."

"That's wonderful news. I'm sure he and his family will be very happy here, I know Will and I are."

"So, when are you going to get Will to ask you to marry him?"

"I'm working on it, but I don't want to rush him. How did you get Jake to ask you?"

"I asked him. I just knew he was the one. He wasn't like any man I had met before, quiet, thoughtful, intelligent, loyal, passionate and a little scared of what he felt for me. The fact that he saved my life may also have swayed me a little!"

"You know, once you get past "Wilhelm Grimm" Will is actually a lot like his brother."

"I know they are more alike than they realise. There are just things in their past that have put barriers between them."

"Their sister?"

"Yes. But now that Will has you in his life they'll get a chance to sort themselves out."

Adela came over and Angelika felt her put a hand on her shoulder. Then there was a sudden feeling of movement, and an excruciating pain in her head. Adela watched as the unconscious women fell to the floor.

She had planned it all. Angelika, worn out by the events of the past few weeks, had been overcome by the heat of the kitchen and fainted. Unfortunately she had hit her head on the edge of the table as she fell and died instantly. A grieving Jake would, quite naturally seek solace in his family and his soon to be sister-in-law would be there for him. Will would insist that they moved temporarily into house to look after Jake and the girls and she would have them all to herself. Eventually Jake would decide that Marbarden held too many memories for them and they would leave. To become a family – herself as wife, Jake as husband, and Rose as daughter, accompanied by Will and Lily, both a food and to attract other food when needed (it would be stupid not use the system that had worked so well for her before Marbarden) and they would travel until they found another quiet village where they could set up home (Franz would join them after a suitable period of time). Marbarden would return to its senses, wiped clean of all memories of the Brothers Grimm.

She picked up Angelika; her head lolling back as Adela gripped her around her chest, raised her head up and began to feed. The familiar taste of Jake was there; accented by her own unique taste and she fed long and deep until the familiar fluttering sensation started.


	6. Chapter 6

6.

Jake was close to panic. Angelika lay still on the bed in front of him, her forehead marred by an ugly bruise. She had remained unconscious since he had found her last night and she showed no signs of waking. Will came up and joined him.

"She's going to be fine, Jake. She's tough, you know that, and a bump on the head isn't going to stop her." Although they had got off to a very difficult start he and Angelika were now firm friends and he knew what she meant to his younger brother.

"I just wish she would wake up!" Jake was close to tears. Will knew he had calm Jake down, he had only just recovered from his own illness, and he was worried that Jake's fear and anxiety would bring on a relapse. It had been Jake who had discovered Angelika unconscious on the floor, his anguished cry would be something that would stay with Will for a long time, and he had not left her side since.

They were both distracted when Angelika gave a small groan

"Angelika!" Jake moved closer to his wife.

"Franz!" Will glanced over to where the doctor and Adela were sat with Lily and Rose, Adela had sat and comforted the two frightened girls as they stared at their sister until exhaustion had finally made them sleep. Again Will was reminded how good Adela looked with the girls and wondered how she would look with children of her own.

Franz gently moved Jake from Angelika's side and wiped her face with a damp cloth. Her eyes fluttered and finally opened.

Angelika's vision finally swam into focus and she found herself staring at Franz.

"Welcome back! You gave us quiet a scare." He smiled at her and then let Jake come to her side.

"Angelika!" there was tears in his eyes as he ran his hand down her face.

"Jake, don't cry. I'm fine." She tried to rise only for the pain that shot through her skull to make her gasp and fall back to the pillow.

"Take it easy," Franz quickly moved back to take care of his patient, "you've had quite a bang to the head there, and it will need time to heal."

"What happened?"

"Jake found you unconscious on the floor in the kitchen. You must have fainted and hit your head when you fell." Angelika raised her hand towards her head only for Franz to gently pull it back to her side. "Don't touch!"

There was a small commotion and Lily and Rose appeared. They crouched down by her bed and kissed her, Angelika took their hands and smiled at them.

"Come on, you two. Angelika needs to rest and you need some food." Adela then took the girls out of room.

Franz came over and gently turned her head to look at the bruise and then he checked her eyes and pulse. He seemed satisfied. He went over to the table and came back with some small pills and a glass of water, he helped her take the pills.

"Adela is right, you do need to get some rest."

"I'd like to stay with her for a while, if that's all right." When Will and Franz had left Jake laid on the bed next to her, "I don't know what I would do if anything happened to you or Will," he whispered in her ear and then he took her in his arms. When Will looked in half an hour later he found them both asleep wrapped in each other's arms.

---

"Angelika, had you been feeling unwell before you fainted?" Angelika was propped up on pillows. Franz's pills had worked and her headache was a lot better.

"No." Franz's question had taken her by surprise and caused Jake to look at her in concern.

"I mean before Jake became ill. Specifically, were you feeling ill when you woke up in the morning?

Angelika had to admit that she had. Her admission brought a faint smile to Franz's face and concern back to Jake's

"Franz, do you know what's wrong with her?"

"I have a reasonable idea what it might be."

"Can you cure her?" Jake had a slightly pleading edge to his voice.

"In a few months, but it will change your world forever."

Jake looked devastated. What kind of cure could he be talking about?

Suddenly Franz was looking straight at Jake, "Please forgive me. My wife says I have the most terrible sense of humour and it sometimes gets the better of me."

"What?" Jake was totally confused. But a sudden gasp from Angelika made them turn towards her.

"Yes, Angelika. I need confirm it, but I believe that you are going to have a child."

Jake had thought it wasn't possible to love Angelika more than he did, but when he heard that he knew that he loved her more than before. "I love you. Both of you."

"I'm going to be an uncle?" Will's voice was full of delight.

Later that night as Angelika lay in the arms of husband, Jake had suddenly started to roll the covers down, and he had stopped after he stomach had been uncovered. He then gently kissed her stomach.

"Hello in there, I can't wait to see you," he said and then he replaced the bedclothes and kissed her on the lips. "I just want he or she to know that they are loved," he had told her by way of explanation.

"They already know," she replied as she kissed him.

---

Angelika pregnancy was going to change everything. Her death in childbirth would mean that they wouldn't have to leave Marbarden, and all her hard work behind. Adela could stick to most of her plan, she would just move into the house and start to raise her family, now including her new baby. She smiled to herself as she looked at him where he lay. She had returned several times with Jake to this clearing in the forest to feed on him, his taste was far more potent here than it was in the village. At first she had felt that something was watching them or caught a possible movement in the corner of her eye as they moved through the forest. But questioning Jake as he slept had solved this. She had quickly located the right book and now the clearing was encircled with signs and other things that made sure they were not disturbed. Now she fed on him and enjoyed the feel of the sun on her skin. But she knew that they would soon have to return to as Angelika would be waking from her afternoon rest and she didn't want her left on her own. So she woke Jake and they returned to the village. Adela left Jake in his study and went to find Angelika, but she was still sleeping, watched over by Franz.

"It's a girl." She had suddenly tasted the other life in Angelika as she had neared death and the thought of having a baby girl to raise as he own had meant that she couldn't let he die just yet.

"You are right, you know. Despite the improvements in modern medicine, it amazing how many women still die in childbirth. It can be a very traumatic experience."

"What a terrible thing to happen. Wouldn't you agree, Will?" Will was sat in a chair nearby, but he seemed deep in thought and didn't reply.

"I think he's sulking because I haven't fed on him lately. But your family have only just arrived and I had to make them feel welcome."

Will had been having strange thoughts and feelings recently. He loved Adela with all his heart and would do anything she asked of him, and the fact that Jake, Angelika, and the rest of the village had welcomed her so warmly only reinforced this. It was just that sometime he had a feeling that there was something that he needed to remember, but couldn't, and the more he chased the memory the more it seemed to move away from him. Since he had learnt that Angelika's baby was going to be girl it had been worse. He knew that the fact that the baby was a girl would be very important to Jake, but he couldn't think why? Adela had told him that he couldn't tell anyone that they knew it was going to be girl, it would spoil the surprise for Jake and Angelika. Before when he felt like this he would speak to Adela, but recently she had been so busy, looking after the girls, Jake, and now Angelika whilst they had been ill that he hadn't bothered with his problems. So until the baby arrived it was just him and his thoughts. He needed something to distract him.

---

Adela had grown quite content in Marbarden and her life slipped into a routine. During the day she would teach the children and a night she would feed on them. She became part of the village, sharing in its celebrations and tribulations and she found that she liked it. She looked down at Will's sleeping form on the bed next to her, she considered feeding on him but then she realised that she was too full to be bothered. She would be eternally grateful to him for bringing her here, but now she had almost too many people to choose from and, if it came down to a choice of brother, she would always choose Jake. So she no longer really needed Will for food and now regarded him more as her faithful companion, the one who would always be at her side and keep her warm on long nights after she had fed. He was her pet, but a very handsome one! She reached out and patted him on the head and Will shifted his position in the bed then settled back into sleep.

---

It was Lily's birthday and all the children of the village had been invited to the Grimm house for a party. They had all had a good day and they had left one by one until only the girls who had slept in the Queen's crypts were left, chatting away excitedly together.

"You are the very special girls of this village and, as it is Lily's birthday, I want to give you all a present to remind you of that," said Adela.

"But Sasha's not here!" cried Elsie, "we can't do this without her!"

"Will saved Sasha, don't you all remember? She was never truly part of the spell like the rest of you and this present is just for you." A murmur went through the girls. They had never really thought of it like this. Sasha hadn't been there when they woke up, so Adela was right, Sasha wasn't really part of their group after all.

She arranged the girls in circle and then walked towards Lily. "Birthday girl first."

"Wait," cried Rose, "we need Angelika!" A cry of agreement went up from all the girls and they looked at her where she sat with Jake, Will and Franz. She came and took her place in the circle.

"Are you sure you're up to this?" asked Adela, "In your condition shouldn't you be taking thing easy?" Angelika now had a sizable bump as her pregnancy continued.

"I'm sure I'm up to a few party games!" replied Angelika.

"But I'm not, and, as I'm the expectant father to be, I think I should be indulged. With these fine ladies permission I think I should take her place." said Jake with a smile.

"I do remember you having something to do with it all!" added Angelika.

Jake came forward to take his wife's place in the circle, next to Rose. His hand gently touching her stomach as they passed each other. When she got back to her seat Franz handed her a drink.

Adela pressed her lips to Lily's, who went limp in her arms, and she let her fall to the floor. She then proceeded round the circle, each girl going limp in her arms and falling to the floor until she got to Jake, and then he too joined them. The only person remaining standing was Rose who was staring at her opened mouthed.

"You turned them all into rag dolls!" she gasped.

"And now it's your turn." She pressed her lips to Rose's and she gave a gentle shudder, but this time she did not slip into unconsciousness.

"Nothing happened." Rose sounded disappointed.

"But my dearest girl. It means that you are ready! Soon I can begin to teach you how to turn people into rag dolls."

"Oh! I must tell Angelika!" But when she turned to speak to her sister, Angelika was asleep in the chair. Angelika had been falling asleep at some very odd times recently, but Adela or Franz had always been there to help her. It must be something to do with her having a baby, thought Rose.

Rose watched as Adela when round the circle again, spending longer with each girl this time, until she got to Jake. She stroked her hand down his face and then gently pressed her lips to his and fed deeply. Rose tried to concentrate on what Adela was doing so that when she came to teacher her, she would get it right first time. But it was rather boring watching her going round the circle and eventually Rose went and found herself a comfortable chair and fell asleep.

"You are very slightly weird, you do know that," said Franz as he watched Adela as she went around the circle sending the girls to sleep. When she got to Jake she took one final feed and then lifted him into her arms and carried him to the bed. She returned a few moments later with Angelika and laid her beside her husband, her hand resting on her stomach for a few minutes before she left.

"I just wanted to find out what the witches spell had been like, and now I know."

"And when do I get my kiss?"

"When we have the girls settled. Go and get Will."

Will had stood and watched all that had happened that night with a feeling of growing unease. He had felt that this was something that they shouldn't be doing, but he had no idea why. He decided that he must talk to Adela, but Franz had arrived and he was distracted by helping return all the children to their beds. When he and Adela were finally alone, sleep drove all thoughts from his head.


	7. Chapter 7

7.

The next day a strange wagon had arrived in the village, the children recognised it and gathered around. A bald man, dressed all in black had got down from the wagon and greeted the children enthusiastically.

Will and Jake had smiled as the approached the man.

"Ah the Grimmys!" he embraced each of the brothers.

"Hello Cavaldi," said Will trying to hide a grin. "How are you?"

A woman had descended from the wagon and Cavaldi grabbed he around the waist and pulled her towards him. "I 'ave nothing to complain about."

Will and Jake greeted Maria, the woman from the village who had taken Cavaldi to her heart.

"Sasha!" exclaimed Cavaldi as he picked the girl up from the crowd of children. She hugged him tightly and smiled at him. "Ow is my special girl?" After the Queen's spell had been broken she had come and found the man during the party, thanked him for trying to save her and given him a kiss on the cheek. Cavaldi had felt his heart melt and they had friends ever since.

"Sasha, let Cavaldi get settled in. You can talk all you want later." Gregor had come to join them along with Angelika and a woman that he didn't recognise. Cavaldi put Sasha down but she stayed at his side almost as if she was reluctant to go her father. Meanwhile Cavaldi was staring at Angelika.

"Bambino!?" Cavaldi dissolved into a stream of unintelligible Italian, kissed her on both cheeks, and then grabbed Jake in hug that almost lifted him off his feet. They both beamed at him in response.

"A little Grimmy! Do you intend to teach your son to fight evil magic, too?"

"My son OR daughter will be what ever they want to be," replied Angelika

"Whether they like it or not!" added Will with a grin.

"Such a pity that their uncle didn't live to see them born!" said the woman, "As my beloved is not going to introduce me, I'll do so myself. My name is Adela and I am please to finally meet you. Will and Jake had told me so much about you."

"She's the woman I love and am going to marry. What more do you need to know? Oh, by the way she doesn't own a kitten!" Will's grin was now devilish.

Cavaldi ignore Will's last remark. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Fraulein. Why are you marrying 'im?"

"Because Jake is already spoken for!"

They had then escorted Cavaldi as he led the horse and wagon to his house. Maria, who had known Angelika since she was a child, talked excitedly to her about her impending motherhood and how Jake was treating her. Her responses being that she was doing just fine, except that she was getting rather tired and found herself falling asleep at odd times, and that Jake was treating her wonderfully, but wouldn't let her do anything. She even told her about how he said good morning and good night to her.

"Don't worry about the tiredness, I've know many women, and each pregnancy is different. You've got a good one there in Jake, my dear. Your mother would have approved."

"I know." Angelika looked back at Jake who was talking to Cavaldi.

The house, which had been shut up since they had gone to Italy to see where Cavaldi came from, was in need of a good airing. So they were invited to dinner at Will and Adela's where they learnt how Will and Adela had met and what had been happening in Marbarden whilst they had been gone. Cavaldi was very concern that Jake and Angelika had been ill and, despite Jake's assurances that they were both well again, he made his mind up to keep an eye on his friends. He could see that Will and Adela were very much in love; he never seemed to leave her side.

"I suspect that there will soon be another little Grimmy," he had confided to Maria later that night, but he discovered that she had already fallen asleep, so he gave her a kiss, turned over and went to sleep.

Cavaldi hadn't sleep well. He had woken in the night and vomited, and in the morning nothing seemed to agree with him, even the water didn't taste right! He put it down to change in food from his homeland to Germany, he just had to get used the foreign food again. Maybe he should find a pig for Maria. He spied Sasha sitting by the well and went to join her.

"'Ow is my special girl?"

"Better for having you here," and she reached out and hugged him.

"What has 'appened?"

"It's Adela, since she arrived things have changed."

"Ah!" Cavaldi smiled at the girl. After Will had saved her in the forest she had fallen in love with him. Will had let her down as gently as he could, but Cavaldi suspected that she still had a bit of crush on the older Grimm brother. So it was natural that she should be a bit jealous of the woman who had won his heart.

"Sasha…even though Will loves Adela and they are going to be married, he still likes you and will always be your friend. You have no need to worry about that."

Sasha stared at the man. He thought she was jealous of Adela! After all that had happened in Marbarden since she arrived! She was scared of Adela, scared of what she had done to Will and to everyone else in the village, but she wasn't jealous of her.

"She doesn't love him…she's hurt him! …and… my father!" the girl crumpled into tears in Cavaldi's arms.

"Please…please, do not cry! Come, Maria can make you a drink. I am sure we can work this out."

He led the still crying girl towards his house. When they got there Maria wasn't in the kitchen, so Cavaldi sat Sasha in a chair and went in search of her. He found her asleep on the bed, but she was laid very strangely, almost as though she had fallen back onto the bed and been instantly asleep. He tried to wake her, but she remained unmoving. Suddenly he became aware of someone behind him and turned.

---

Adela had been fascinated by Maria she had never met anyone that the drug had worked so quickly on. They had only been half way through the meal when she saw the first signs of the drug in her eyes. She had seen Cavaldi leave and decided to pay her a visit. Maria hadn't even seemed surprised to see her when she opened the door. She had simply returned Adela's smile, taken her outstretched hand and allowed herself to be led to the bedroom. She had so much of the drug in her eyes that Adela was surprised she could stand. There had been no resistance to the feeding and Adela had instructed her to add the drug, which she had left her in the kitchen, to Cavaldi's food and that she would return that evening. She knew all about Cavaldi from Will and she thought it better to make his acquaintance as soon as possible. Then she had simply let her fall on to the bed and left.

Cavaldi turned to find Sasha stood at the door. She gave a gasp and ran to Maria's side.

"No…not you as well," she turned to Cavaldi, "you must get away from here, its not safe!"

"What is 'appening?" he asked the girl in confusion.

Sasha explained that Maria would not wake for several hours and when she did she would remember nothing. Cavaldi made her as comfortable as possible, and with one final, worried glance, he followed Sasha into the kitchen.

Here, through a stream of tears, she described waking up a few weeks after Adela had arrived in Marbarden, convinced that there was someone in the house. She had gone to investigate and saw her father in the arms of Adela. As she watched Adela had kissed her father, at first he had tried to stop her but without warning his arms had simply fallen to his side. Adela had continued the kiss for a long time and then she had picked up her father and carried him to his bed. Sasha had followed and, hidden by the door, had watched as Adela again kissed her father, this kiss lasted even longer, and at the end Adela had briefly touched her lips to her father's and talked to him. Sasha had run back to her room and hidden under the covers, when she eventually came out and went to her father she discovered that Adela had placed his head on a pillow and the covers over him, he appeared to be sleeping. Sasha had tried to wake him, but she couldn't and in the end she had fallen asleep beside him. When he had woken in the morning and she told him what had happened, he had taken her in his arms and told her it must have been a nightmare. She had almost believed him, but then Adela had returned. Cavaldi took the girl in his arms until her tears ceased.

"We must go and see Will, he will know what to do."

"Adela came here with Will! She must have hurt him before!"

Cavaldi thought for a moment, "Ah! Then we will go and see Jake!"

---

"Good morning!" Jake greeted them as he opened the door, "I'm afraid we weren't up very early this morning. Come in, we're having breakfast if you'd like to join us?" They followed him into the kitchen to find Adela serving breakfast to Lily and Rose.

"Angelika is not feeling too good this morning, so I'm letting her sleep in. Adela offered to help me get breakfast for these two," explained Jake. Lily and Rose giggled.

"Sasha! It's good to see you. It seems like a long time since we were together and we have so much to tell you. Come and have some breakfast," Rose indicated the chair next to her and with a quick glance at Cavaldi she sat down.

"Jake, I would like to speak to you in private."

"Of course," and they went outside.

"Jake, what do you know about Adela, I mean before she met Will."

Jake told him all that he knew about Adela.

"So, Will met Adela and then became ill?"

"Yes, I think we were lucky she was there! I dread to think what might have happened if she hadn't. Will's letters had stopped and I had no idea where he was!"

As Jake talked he removed his glasses and Cavaldi got a look at his eyes. There was a very strange look to them, almost a slight glaze.

"But since she got her," Jake continued "she has been a wonder to the village, the children are now regularly in school, they all love her and Will finally seems ready to settle down, which I was beginning to think he never would! But she's not the only new resident to the village…" Jake greeted a man who was walking towards them, "…Cavaldi, I'd like you to meet Dr Franz Lieberman."

Jake went on to explain how Franz had come to his and Angelika's rescue and how he was caring for her during her pregnancy.

"So, it is thanks to Adela that you came to our aid?"

"Yes," replied Franz and he shook hands to the Italian, "without her I would never have come here." Cavaldi looked and he too had that same strange look in his eyes. He felt a fear begin to grow inside him.

"I…I must get Sasha back to her father. I promised we wouldn't be long," he returned to the house with Jake and Franz, and collected Sasha. Just as he was leaving Franz entered the bedroom and he could see Angelika lying in the bed. Franz lifted her head and helped her drink something.

"This will make you feel better," he said.

Another pang of fear shot through Cavaldi when he thought of Angelika, that wonderfully independent women who had stood up to him when he first arrived, coming to harm. Bambino! His thoughts turned to full horror when he realised that what affected Angelika also affected her unborn child.

He returned Sasha to her home. Gregor had the same look his eyes. He told her to gather some things together and to meet him at the edge of the forest, beyond the gate to the village. She wanted him to come with her now, but he had some things he must do before he joined her and, to be honest, he thought she had a much better change of getting their without him. So, with promises to see each other soon, they had parted.

Cavaldi now headed back to own home. He knew what he would find, but he had to make sure. Maria was in the kitchen. He took her in his arms and looked at her smiling face, she had that same glazed look to her eyes. He kissed her and held her. "I love you," he whispered to her with tears in his eyes, "and I will find a way to save you." Some evil had again come to Marbarden and he had to find a way to stop it, and it would seem that he had to do it without the help of the Grimmys.

He had come up with a plan. He would first go and try to get help from Will, Adela was with Jake and maybe it he would be able to get through to Will on his own. If that failed then he would get books from Jake's study and he and Sasha would hopefully find something in them that would help. He found Will sprawled on the bed sleeping. He shook him gently but he didn't stir.

"Grimmy, wake up!" he shook him again. He still did not stir.

"Grimmy, Jake needs your 'elp. 'e is 'urt," Will moved slightly. Cavaldi, encouraged, continued. "Yes, Jake is 'urt. 'e may die! You 'ave to 'elp him!"

"Jake…" murmured Will. It was working!

"Grimmy, It is I, Cavaldi. You must wake up! Marbarden is in danger! We 'ave to stop Adela!"

"Cavaldi?…Adela?…Marbarden?…where…" As Cavaldi watched Will's eyes open and looked at him.

"It's all right Will. It's just a dream," Adela sat on the bed and gently stoked Will's face as his eyes closed and he settled again. She and Cavaldi regarded each other.

"I will find a way to stop, by the dark 'eart of my ancestors, I swear it!"

"Oh I doubt that! Mercurio, would you give me a moment?" She left the room and returned leading Maria by the hand. She smiled at Cavaldi and then looked at Adela. "Maria would you be so good as to slit your throat," she handed Maria a knife and she started to raise it.

"NO!" screamed Cavaldi, he darted towards her

Adela smiled. "Stop!" Maria's hand and the knife returned to her side. Adela led her the bed and sat her down. She then approached Cavaldi.

"All you have to do to ensure her safety is to let me kiss you, now that is not such a dreadful thing is it?"

Cavaldi looked at Maria sat on the edge of the bed, the knife still in her hand, and then his gaze travelled to still form of Will on the other side of the bed. He felt torn; he desperately wanted to help Will, Jake and the others in the village, but to help them he must loose the woman that he loved. But in the end the decision was made for him. Adela used his moment of indecision to step up to him and place her lips against his. He fought back strongly, but Adela knew he could not break her embrace, he went limp and she fed. She decided that she liked foreign food and would try it again very soon. She glanced up at Maria, who had sat quietly on the bed through all of this, the smile still on her face and an adoring look in her eyes. It was so unfair not to reward her, so she fed on her as well, the knife slipping from her fingers as she went limp. Afterwards she looked for Will, only to find him gone from the bed.


	8. Chapter 8

8.

Sasha looked back anxiously towards the village. There was still no sign of Cavaldi and he had been gone a long time. There was a movement in the trees and she froze in fear.

"Hello Sasha," said a very familiar voice.

"Will," she stared at the man unsure of whether to run or not. If this meant that Cavaldi had failed she would at least make her capture as hard as possible. "Are you all right?"

"Yes I am. Believe me waking up to find Cavaldi staring at me brought back a few bed memories, but on the whole I'd say that I feeling better. Thank you for your concern, fair lady."

Sasha threw herself into Will's arms and he held her as he gently laughed.

"Here, you must be starving," he pulled a bundle from the bag he was carrying and unwrapped it to reveal bread and cheese and a small flask.

"Where's Cavaldi?" she asked between mouthfuls, "and do you have a plan to save the village yet?"

"He's gone to get some of Jake's books. There will be something in there that can help us, I'm sure of it. Jake has books on just about everything!" He smiled at he watched her eat and then went to look for Cavaldi. He returned a few minutes later to find Sasha slumped over. The drug Franz had given him to sprinkle on her food had indeed been potent.

---

"Rose," Adela called as she entered the house. She found her in the kitchen with Lily and Jake.

"How is Angelika feeling now?"

"She's still asleep, but Franz said that the tonic he gave her should do the trick. But I have to confess I'm still worried about her."

"Jake, she'll be just fine, and there isn't that much time to go until she gives birth," Jake smiled at that; he was clearly looking forward to fatherhood. "Do you mind if a I borrow these two for a while, I need them to help me with something."

She led the girls into the workshop. Lily went limp in her arms and she laid her on the floor.

"I DO wish you would teach me to turn people into rag dolls. You said you would." Rose started pout.

"And I will."

"When?"

"How about now?" Rose's face lit up.

At that moment Will entered the workshop carrying something in his arms.

"It's Sasha!" cried Rose, delighted.

"I thought that you could give her the special present and she can become part of the group again."

"Will, bring Sasha over here."

Will brought Sasha over and held her so that her face was level with Rose's

"But she's asleep."

"Don't worry, your kiss will wake her."

"Like Jake when he woke us at the tower!"

"Almost." Adela watched as Rose bent forward. She was so looking forward to teaching Rose about her new life. Lily was at hand for Rose's second feed and then there was the rest of the village for her to experience.

Will looked down at the sleeping girl in his arms. As he had carried her back from the forest he had had the feeling that he had done this before, in some other time or place. Thoughts and images were racing through his head. "Don't kiss her!" echoed through his mind and he lowered Sasha to the floor. This brought him face to face with Rose and her lips touched his.

"NO! YOU STUPID GIRL!" Adela flung Rose away from Will with all her strength and there was a thud, which she ignored. Will collapsed to the floor, narrowly missing Sasha, and lay still.

Adela gently took Will in her arms and brought his lips to hers, instantly his taste was in her mouth. She had grown very fond of Will over the last few months and the thought of that girl draining him was something that had brought out feelings she wasn't expecting and she had lashed out. His taste brought back some very pleasant memories and she had a quick feed before sending him to sleep. She hadn't fed on him for a while, there was all the rest of the village to choose from, and she realised she missed his taste. He was like a favourite wine that she had rediscovered and she knew that she couldn't give him up. It would seem that she was addicted to both the Brothers Grimm!

---

"How is she?" Franz was examining Rose as she lay on her bed. Adela had turned from Will and discovered what the thud had been. She had thrown Rose into the wall and the girl lay unconscious on the floor.

"There are no bones broken. It's just the blow to her head. The best thing is to let her sleep, though she will probably wake up with a headache!"

"I'm sorry my dear," she placed a kiss on Rose's cheek, "but I couldn't have you draining Will for your first feed. He is much too precious. Although I will let you try him for a treat, if you are a good girl."

They left Rose to sleep and went back to the workshop. She put Lily into sleep and picked her up.

"Can you keep that sleeping until it's needed?" she indicated the sleeping Sasha at her feet.

"Of course."

She returned Lily and Will to their beds and, knowing that nothing more could be done until Rose awoke and that Franz would look after both Sasha and Angelika in her absence, she set off to find Jake.

Jake lay asleep in her arms, her leisurely feed had made her feel quite contented. A very interesting idea had just occurred to her, she would have to bring Will out to this clearing as well. The idea of having the brothers side by side and feeding both of them was something she intended to put into practice as soon as possible. In fact, she decided, she would go and see if Rose as awake and, if so, she would make her second feed very special indeed by introducing her to her two favourite men.

"Don't move. I won't be long," she said to Jake and then left for the village.

---

Jake woke with a start. He looked around to discover he was in the forest, but he had no idea how he had got there. He had a feeling that he had come with someone, but again, he couldn't remember whom. He tried to stand, only to discover that he had no strength, and he came crashing down again and momentarily black out.

"Adela," he heard himself call as he came back to consciousness. He didn't know an Adela, did he? The name echoed around his head until it suddenly made sense. Adela had come with Will, she had kissed him, she had hurt him. She had hurt Will!

"Will," he whispered and with the help of a tree he hauled him up and staggered towards the path. He had to get to the village, Will was in danger, and he had to help him. As soon as he set foot outside the clearing he felt something wrapping itself around his wrist, he looked down to see what looked like a thin tree branch. He unwrapped the branch and tried to continue on his way only to find that branches had wrapped themselves around his ankles and he toppled over. But he never hit the path; instead he fell face first into a tangle of branches and leaves. The leaves seemed to mould themselves to his face and he found that he couldn't breathe. As his consciousness slipped away as he felt the branches wrap themselves around his body.

---

Adela got back to the village to find that Rose was still sleeping and Franz thought that she would now sleep until morning. That left the problem of what to do with Sasha. Franz's drug would mean that there was no chance of her waking, but should she spend her last night with her father or should she keep her close in case Rose woke early? In the end she had wrapped Sasha in blankets, slung her over her shoulder and headed off towards Gregor's house. On the way she was greeted by Cavaldi.

"Can I 'elp you with that, it looks 'eavy?"

"I'm all right, it more bulky than heavy. But thank you for the offer." She looked in his eyes and saw the drug in them. Clearly Maria had been putting it in his food and now he was no longer a problem to her. Just another source of food.

"May I accompany you to wherever you are going? I would like to talk to you."

"By all means. I'm going to see Gregor. Sasha seems a little reserved and has cut herself off from the other children at school and I was wondering if he could think of a reason for this. Has Sasha said anything to you?"

"No she 'as said nothing. Maria would like you and Will to come to dinner soon."

"We would be delighted. May I ask that we have something from your home country? I have recently discovered that I like Italian food."

"It would be my pleasure!" They had now reached Gregor's front door. Cavaldi gave her a small bow and left. She put down her bundle and knocked at the door. When Gregor answered he glanced at the bundle on the floor and then at Adela.

"I need to speak to you about Sasha. May I come in?"

"Yes, but to be honest I haven't seen her all day." She entered, leaving the bundle outside.

"I wouldn't worry, she is probably close by playing with some for the children," and she took his face in her hands and kissed him. A short time later she reappeared, collected the bundle and took it into the house.

Now that Sasha was settled her thoughts turned again to Jake. She had left him far too long and she loved that almost childlike way he squinted at her until she placed his glasses on his face when she woke him. She had, sadly, decided against bring Will to the clearing today. She wanted that moment to be special for both Rose and her and, anyway, tomorrow was going to be a busy day. She had school to get ready for, Rose was to have her first feed and then she would have to comfort the children when Sasha was discovered having broken her neck falling off something or other, so she really didn't have time to arrange anything.

She could see him as she entered the clearing, sleeping peacefully, just as she had left him.

"Did you miss me? Sorry I was gone for such a long time," she said as she woke him.

"Adela," came his soft reply and he took the hand that she held out to him and, as he stood up, he pulled her into his arms. She laughed; it looked like he was starting to like this.

"I know what you did," his voice was soft in her ear.

"What?" She didn't like the sound of this.

"I know what you are and what you have done to Marbarden. To my wife, to my brother and to my friends."

She broke their embrace and pulled back from Jake. He stood there watching her with his intense gaze. She smiled.

"Then join me. I promise no harm will come to those you love, and those I feed on have no memory of what I do. I can keep Marbarden safe, there are far worse things than me out there."

"Like the Queen?" He stood in thought for a few moments, "I have to admit I would like to know more about your kind. I'm quite fascinated by all things magical," he admitted.

She had won him over! He really was the perfect man. "And what would you like to know about me?"

"How to kill you."

Her faced hardened. She would drain him and leave Marbarden. She had done this once and she could do it again. She took at step towards him; no matter how hard he struggled he wouldn't be able to break her embrace, only to find that she couldn't move. She looked down to see that tree branches had wound themselves around her legs. She glanced around her to discover that the clearing was now considerable smaller than when she first entered.

"I took the spells off the clearing," he explained, "and now the forest wants to meet you, and I don't think its too pleased to have evil in its midst again."

"Jake, please! What I do doesn't hurt people!"

"Adela, you are wrong. When you enter people you leave something of yourself behind. I know what you did to Lucy."

Jake turned and began to run, he had to get back to Marbarden. Adela watched as the forest closed in on her, branches now curling around her torso and arms, effectively trapping her in the clearing. She called to Jake but those calls ceased abruptly when a branch forced its way into her mouth and the forest overwhelmed her. The clearing disappeared, never to reopen, with its secret safely locked inside.

Jake reached Marbarden and went straight to his home. He found Lily and Rose asleep on their beds. There was bruise on Rose's forehead that looked nasty, but he would come back and look at that after he had found Angelika. He found her asleep on their bed. He raised her up in his arms and tried to wake her, but she didn't stir. Her breathing seemed shallow and, when he checked, he pulse didn't seem that strong either. He laid her back down and gently laid his hand on her swollen stomach, he felt no movement there. He felt tears beginning to form in his eyes. What could he do to help her?

"She will sleep for a while yet. But don't worry, Adela wants no harm to come to her or the baby… yet."

Jake looked up and found himself staring into the face of Franz

"Yet?"

"Where is Adela?" he asked, ignoring Jake's question.

"I left her in the forest. I don't think she will be returning."

"That's unfortunate."

"Why?" Jake felt a new fear stir inside him.

"You see Adela has never stayed in once place as long as she has here. Most will probably be able to survive without her but there maybe some exceptions."

"Who!?"

"Your brother for a start. Adela has never fed on anyone for as long as she has fed on him and he may be as addicted to her and her drugs as she is to him. Also your child was conceived after Adela put her drug into the water supply and it may not be able to survive without it and without Adela I can't make any more." He watched as Jake face turned into a mask of agony.

"What have I done?" cried Jake to the floor and Franz could hear him weeping.

"Well," said Franz, "I must be going. There are others out there like Adela and I'm sure I will be able to find one." He was enjoying the effect his words had had on Jake, and for all he knew they could be true. He left the room and was about to leave the house when he felt someone behind him.

"I promise I will find you and if you are with one of those like Adela I will kill her and I will not stop until I have killed them all." And with that Jake put all his anger, desperation, and grief into a punch that slammed Franz into the door and he slid to the ground.

---

Jake was lost. He had gone straight to his study after knocking out Franz and started to look through his books, but despite several references to creatures that were like Adela there was nothing in them about how to stop them or cure their effects. He wandered through the village ignoring people greetings and eventually end up at the house he had shared with Will. He found him asleep on the bed. He sat on the bed and took his brothers hand in his.

"I'm so sorry Will," he said to his brother, "I thought that when she died all the evil she had done would go with her. I was wrong and now I've killed you as well. All for my stupid belief in magic." Suddenly a thought struck him. He left the house and ran to the edge of the forest. The forest had saved him and maybe he could convince it to save Marbarden as well.

"Please help them!" he cried to the forest, "they are the ones that were taken by the Queen and their families! They need your help." He turned in a circle looking at the forest but there was no response. "I don't know how to save them. You are the only hope that they have. Please help them!" Jake had been walking as he spoke and was now beyond sight of the village. He felt a something brush past his face and he turned and saw a branch that curled up and seemed to beckon him to follow, he did and soon he found himself in another clearing that was eerily quiet. He walked to the centre and stopped. He could feel himself being watched, judged? He knew that there were things in his past that were dreadful and he wasn't proud of the time they spent conning people, but he would willing pay for those mistakes as long as people in Marbarden were saved.

Without warning he felt the air in the clearing change and he could no longer catch his breath. When he fell to the ground he was rapidly covered by branches that twisted around his body and found their way, via his nose and mouth deep inside him.

The forest was far more ancient than even Jake thought. It had grown powerful over the years and people worshipped it. Those people were now gone and all the forest wanted to do was to live in peace until the end of its days, which it sensed would soon come. But there were still people who could recognise its power and wanted to use it. One or two of them had succeeded in binding the forest to their will. It had spent a long time doing the bidding of one of these until a single bright desperate spark had flared, more powerful than it knew, and the binding had ended.

But recently it had again felt a spell being worked with its boundaries and found that there was a place it could not enter. It had caught one of the beings that had been in the clearing and had intended to simply smother it and use its flesh to enrich the forest, but it found that it recognised this being as the source of the power that had freed it. It found that the being had been enslaved by the same force that had sealed off the clearing, so the forest had enveloped it and purged the force from it.

Now that being was back. The forest sent out branches into the place nearby where other beings were and there if felt both the ancient and more recent powers that had bound it. It decided to get rid of them once and for all. So it sent branches into the village of Marbarden and they entwined themselves around every living thing. From the geese, to the horses to the villagers themselves all were swaddled by the branches as they found them, no matter where they were, be it in their houses or where they had fallen when the air around them had suddenly changed and they found that they could no longer breathe. The branches found their way, filling noses and throats, deep inside each of them. Soon the forest had overrun the entire village. Now all it had to do was wait for the subtle change that would indicate that death had replaced life in those it had entwined and their flesh would provide nourishment for the trees that would grow where Marbarden had once stood.

It then detected traces of the power of the being that had saved it in others. That being was now cocooned in branches in a nearby clearing and, out of recognition for what it had done it, would be spared. It searched them out but found that all of them were tainted by either the ancient or more recent power. It was just about to withdraw and let death claim the village when it felt that bright spark again. It came from one inside one of those who lay in the forest's embrace and although that being was tainted, it was not. If felt of bright new life, untouched by evil and the forest knew that it could not let that spark be extinguished. So it purged the being that it lay inside and this slowly spread through out the village, death being driven back from all of them. And the forest withdrew leaving the village of Marbarden soundless and deserted as every living thing within it slept.

---

"Jacob, I think that she has your eyes," said Cavaldi as he held Jake and Angelika's daughter in his arms. The baby was studying the man as much as he was studying her and in the end she smiled at him.

"They you had better ask her to give them back! He has enough problems with his vision as it is," Will was obviously in a relaxed and joking mood, but Jake was sure they would survive it.

"I think that she is perfect, just like her mother," said Jake as he took his daughter from Cavaldi and carried her over to Angelika, as it would soon be time for her to be fed.

"And she was considerate enough to provide one for me as well," said Will from across the room, where he stood, cradling his nephew.

Jake had woken in bed next to the still sleeping Angelika. He had reached across and kissed her and she had murmured his name. He had dressed and gone to check on Lily and Rose in their room, laying a hand on his wife's swollen stomach as he passed and he was sure that he felt a slight movement. He then went quietly through the village checking the houses and he found villagers sleeping peacefully in their beds. Sasha curled up in hers, Cavaldi and Maria wrapped in each other's arms and Will sprawled out on his, snoring softly. During the day the villagers slowly awoke and Jake had watched the village come alive again with a smile on his face. He had done it. They were all safe.

Jake had been there when Angelika woke and as he kissed her she had suddenly grabbed his hand and laid it on her stomach where he had felt the baby kick. Angelika had laughed at the look of pure joy that was on his face, then Lily and Rose had joined them, and there had been more laughter as they felt the kicks. Will had been the last to wake and he had seemed surprised to find Jake watching over him, but Jake had just invited him to dinner and left. Then he had gone to the forest and thanked it for its help.

The village had accepted Franz and, as he, like everyone else, had no memory of Adela, Jake had decided not to mention anything. It had been when he had come to examine Angelika that he had quietly called Jake into the bedroom where he told them that Angelika was expecting twins and when the time came he and Maria had expertly delivered first Charlotte Laurel and then Friedrich Wilhelm (much to the surprise and delight of a certain older brother). Who had been looked after by their proud father and uncle whilst their exhausted mother slept.

And, as he looked around the room, at his children, wife, brother, and all the people that he loved he realised that he was something he thought that he could never be again after his sister's death.

He was happy.


End file.
